Citi gets $7.5B from Abu Dhabi arm

New York — The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority will invest $7.5 billion in Citigroup, offering the nation's largest bank needed capital to offset big losses from mortgages and other investments.

The cash from the sovereign investment fund of the Gulf Arab state, which has benefited from this year's surge in oil prices, will be convertible into no more than 4.9 percent of Citigroup Inc.'s equity. Citigroup characterized the investment as passive and said the fund will not be able to name any board members to the bank.

The Investment Authority will receive equity units that pay an 11 percent annual yield — a high price for Citigroup, whose dividend yield is 7.3 percent. They will then be converted into Citigroup common shares at a price of up to $37.24 a share between March 15, 2010, and Sept. 15, 2011.

The purchase would make the Investment Authority one of Citi's largest shareholders.

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